Learning — The Cerebellum

Abstract

Voluntary movements require activity of the motor system, goal-directed movements also require the sensory system. The interplay between the sensory and motor systems is called sensorimotor coordination. For the initiation of limb movements one distinguishes four levels in the motor hierarchy, which are all acting on all lower levels (Fig. 11.1). The lowest level is the spinal cord, the next higher level is the brainstem, followed by the motor cortex and the premotor and association areas. When saccadic eye movements are included, one has to add the superior colliculus, which acts through the motor nuclei in the brainstem and in turn receives input, amongst others, from the premotor areas (Sparks 1986).